Machine for making lenses or the like



Aug. 17, 1943. w. H. UMLANDT MACHINE FOR MAKING LENSES OR THE LIKE FiledJune 25, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 17, 1943. w. H. UMLANDT MACHINE FOR-MAKING LENSES OR THE LIKE Filed June 25, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 17,1943. w. H. UMLANDT MACHINE FOR MAKING LENSES OR THE LIKE Filed June 25,1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 17, 1943. w. H. UMLANDT I MACHINE FOR MAKINGLENSES OR THE LIKE Filed June 25, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 17, 1943.w. H. UMLANDT 2,327,228

MACHINE FOR MAKING LENSES OR THE LIKE Patented Aug. 17, 1943 mm stemsPAT EN 0mm: r r mnsiiston 1;

Hemnrr ummt, mm) laws; as si nm: tov But n. Q mmm ime, Iowa au mcmion ofmomma i mcs 1941, sense N0: seem-4 15 coast, i (01,

This invention. is a, novel automatic machine for making, lens s or he.1ikebar i'cu arly'f ti su r ns. eed: al as and ool n translucent lensblanks; adeptejdjto be mounted in holes oropeningsin the feces 0iiiiuminatedi signs o-r'tlie like, said lens blanks beingxnad ofthermo-piastic' or othermateri'agh themsaine 7 g preferably oft'he typedisclosedimthe'o, l cati'on for'U: S. Letters Patent filed Jui'y M11939;by Berna-rd Hahn; Seria1'No.,286;2fi5 (now metugged intoU. S:betterslot'ent No. 2,252,5647deted11ingustf; 32; 1941'), which blanks,in normal heat- I stable condition, are of larger size or diameter thenholes or openings in the sign; faces in,

which-they-ajfemounted; andwhi ch; beforein sei tioniimtheholes off thesign faces, must be heated; and reduced, by compressi'ongintoiso-coile'd' heat-unstable?" shape and condition-in which a; portionoigthe'bl-anks are 01- smaller diametelg or: sizeto intosaid holes oropenings; so that when subsequently expended o1 enlarged" byiursthefepplicotionofheat to their, no-rma1:"hee,t' stable i blanksg theblanks will: lock themselves in said. holes. However, my novel: machinemay obviously beused any otherpurposesfor, which itis; adapted;

my present invention is an impro'vementupez; the handoperated machineforheatingand corn- 'familia'iewith the art to adopt and use the-same;

- moved intothe feeding station; also to provide (2') an attachment, forwmm Si-ng the chucks; carrying the; heated blanks to; form' heads on theupper endsof the'blenks above the chucks; also to provide 63;)anattachmentfor grinding the .Eheadedf bljenks carried in chucks to}impart the desired dome o-r-other shape tothe heads ofthe blanks;andalso to provide-(4 an ottaelp ment for cooling the ground; blankstocause some to retein theirheat-unstable shape ondeiy ordinarytemperature; ranges before the" respective-- chucks havecompleted oneorbit.- My

attachments-when applied tofthe Eatery Automatic thus provide a; machinehaving; meansfor! heating; feeding; heading; grinding; and cooling lensor otherblanksof thermoplastic mateeial on the like without requiringmenu-al effort on the part'of" the operator; whereby a single operatormay siipervise the functioning ofail-plurality of such-machines:

Qthen minor objects of: the-invention will behereine-fteg set forth;

I will explein the invention with r theaccompanying drawings whichillustrate one practicel embodiment thei eof; to enable-othei s andwill-summarize in-the'cl-ai'ms, the-novel fea:-.

tures]: ofconstruction, and novel combinations of pressing said lensblanks or thelikedisclosed in my co pendingapplication Serial-"No.295-35 filed September 18, 1939- (now matured intolUi S Letters PatentNo. 2,273,509 dated February 1-7;

1942) the: present invention consistingessential: 1y of attachment orattachments to the so called-*Barry Automatic button making inachinessuchasdisclosed: in the- United StetesLetters: P'atent'No. 765,014;dated Jul y% 1904 which the machine comprises anendless series-- ofbutton holding chucks moving in an orbital path-havingat one portionofithepatha feeding ststi'on-- wherethechucks in succession alre'supplied with button blanks, the chucks carrying said button blanksalongthe path forsubsequent opel ationthereonby tools which shapeanddifil-l the button blanks-before same-- are disehar from thechucksrnoving insoidorbit.

The. principal objects of my present" invention pants," for whichprotection; is desired;

ln saiw drawings:

' -1l ig.- 3; enlarged penspective View; on the blank feedingattachment, indicating the-"adder 9 cent parts of the, "Betr-y.Automatic machine.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan View of the blank feeding attaohment, v

Elsi 5 is e vertical sectien on thedineis-fl;

4',- showing the pick u-p finger of the feeding; at; tachmezit ihcontact with a blank-holding chuck; Fig 6: is: ar-vi'ew: similao toF-ig.5 but showing the position ofthe partsjusteftc; a; blank has,

been deposited into the: engaged chuck, show.- ing; the knife par-tily'entesedi: intothe heated plastic-red in the act of severing-o blankthe-re from; i

'7- is a: viewsimilarto Fig 6- but showingthe position of the paitswhentheknife hasccmpletied itscutting operation; 'j ustprior tothe diseference to- Eig'. 1 i s esfi omj: elevationoi a. portion; oiBarpyiAutematie buttonama-king machieelook-J ir'zg at the blank feedingstation, a'nd sho-Wing myi g attachments applied.

engagement of the pick-up finger from the chuck. v

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the feeding plate and its bracket, detached.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged elevation of a lens: blank, as cut from theplastic rod.

Fig. 10 is an elevation of the blank, headed just prior to grinding.

Fig. 11 is an elevation of the ground blank in lens form.

The Barry Automatic button machine to which my attachments are applied,comprises an endless series of button holding chucks A respectivelymounted in an endless series of chuckholding rotatable spindles B havingtops 13', spindles B being loosely mounted in housings C pivotallyconnected together to form an endless chain running around a pair ofspaced notched wheels (not shown) in the machine in the usual manner,one wheel being fixedly mounted on a center shaft D driven by means ofgearing (not shown) from a shaft E (Fig. 2) carrying a pulley E rotatedby belt F running around pulley E and around a, pulley G on drive shaftG which is rotated by a suitable prime mover (not shown) whereby theseries of chuc :s A are caused to move in an orbital path. The other oridler notched wheel for the endless chain of housings C is mounted on ashaft H rotated by said wheel.

Spindles B are each provided with belt pulleys B2 engaged by springbelts. J running entirely around theseries of spindles B, and around aspring tensioned pulley, and around a drive pulley K mounted on a shaftK driven through gearing in housing L from drive shaft G, said belts Jcausing the spindles B to rotate continuously in their housings C duringtheir orbital movement in the machine. v 7

Spindles B have a loose fit within housings C permitting considerableplay therein; and the lower ends A2 of chucks A extending below thelower ends of spindles B and carry balls A3 riding upon an endless camtrack M, in the usual manner, to raise or lower the chucks A in theirrespective spindles B according to whether the balls are riding upon ahigh or low portion of cam track M. When the balls A3 are riding on alow portion of cam track M the chucks A will be lowered and expanded intheir spindles B so that the upper ends willlie substantially flush withthe tops B of the spindles as indicated in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, 6 and 7 butwhen balls A3 are riding upon a high portion of'cam track M, chucksAwill be raised in their respective spindles B to contract around andinitially grip the lens blanks deposited or contained therein. i I

The above described construction of the Barry Automatic machine forms nopart of my present invention.

The blank feeding means My novel lens-blank feeding attachment comprisesa base plate I (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) supported by brackets Ia having splitclamps Ib-secured'to uprights N--N of the Barry Automatic *machinesubstantially opposite the ends of the low portion of cam track M(Fig; 1) Clamps I!) support plate I in fixed position somewhat below thelevel of the tops B of spindles B. Brackets Ea preferably have a slottedconnection-with the base plate I whereby same may be adjusted to fitdifierent spacings of uprights N on different models of theBarryfmachine. v V

Each bracket Ia carriesa lug Ic havinga hole slidably receiving ahorizontal rod Id, said rods carrying a guide bar 2 which engages theupper portions of the series of spindles B as shown in Fig. 3 in orderto maintain the series of chucks A in alignment as they approach andpass the point feeding station. Coiled springs Ie around rods Id areinterposed between guide bar 2 and the lugs I c, to yieldably urge guidebar 2 into the path of the spindles B, suitable heads on the inner endsof rods Id preventing the rods from passing out through the lugs Ic.

. Upon base plate I i a guide I f for a reciprocable carriage 3 disposedparallel with and adjacent the run of the endless series of chucks A..Carriage 3 carries a pick-up finger 4 pivoted thereon at 411, saidfinger having a hooked outer end 417 (Fig. 4) adapted to be successivelyengaged with the spindles B of the series and intermittently move thecarriage 3 on its forward stroke -in the direction of travel of thechucks A and along with the movement thereof. A spring 3a conecting oneupright N and a post so on carriage 3 yieldably restores carriage 3 onits return stroke to normal position, in which the adjacent end of thecarriage abuts against a fixed bumper Ig mounted on the adjacent end ofguide If, whenever the hooked end 4?) of finger 4 becomes disengagedfrom a spindle B.

The inner end 'of finger 4 is relatively broad,

the inner rear corner of finger 4 normally yieldably maintains trigger 5in the position shown in Fig. 4 and also normally urges the outer hookedend 41) of finger 4 to swing into the path of movement of spindles B. T

Movement of the-spindle B engaged by hook 419 towards the right (Fig. l)will correspond ingly move carriage 3, by means of finger 4, in the samedirection and at the same speed as the spindle until trigger leg 5bengages a trip 1 fixedly mounted on guide if (or on base plate I)whereupon trigger 5 will pivot in a clockwise direction (Fig. 4) causingleg 5c thereof to swing out of engagement with the wall of notch 4c toermit the hooked end 4b of finger 4 to slide out of engagement with thespindle B'to which it had been hooked, whereupon the spring 3a will actto return carriage 3 to its normal position,

i. e., into contact with fixed bumper Ig. As soon however as leg 51) oftrigger Eretracts from trip a land hooked end sb of finger 4 is releasedfrom engagement with spindle B, spring 5d will simultaneously againswing finger 4 into the path of movement of spindles B so that hook 4?)will engage the next following spindle of the series,

. and trigger. 5 will also be restored by spring 5d 7 Adjacent carriage3, disposed above the path of movement of the series of spindles B, is averthe right of Fig. 1, causing the chuck A to rise in its spindle andcompress the portion of blank 9a confined in the chuck, said spindlethen moving-the blank under a rotating circularseries of jackets 20which in turn carry compression plungers 2! which are mounted on thecenter shaft H of the Barry Automatic machine.

Each of the jackets 20 is tubular and is carried by a web having a hub20a fixedly mounted on shaft H so as to rotate therewith. Jackets 20 aredisposed on the same radius with respect to shaft H as the spindles B,and are also spaced the same distance between centers as the spindles inrounding said end of the orbit, so that the jackets are movedsynchronously with the spindles to insure that there will always be ajacket disposed above each spindle B when the latter is rounding theadjacent end of the orbit. Each jacket 20 has a slot 2% (Fig. 3) initsupper end at the lower end of which slot is a laterally projecting lug200 in which is fixedly mounted a vertical pin Zildhaving a nut 206 onits upper end. Vertically slidably mounted in each jacket 26 is aplunger 2! having a lateral arm 2m (Fig. 3) slidably engaging slot 2% inthe wall of the jacket, said arm Zia having 'a hole slidably receivingthe pin 23d of the jacket, arm 2Ia limiting the downwardlmovement'of theplunger. in

the jacket. A coiled spring 2Ib around pin 20d interposed between arm 2|aand nut 20c yieldably resists upward movement of the plunger 21 in itsjacket 20 At the lower end of each plunger is a substantiallysemi-circular wall 2|c of sufficient radius to permit the chuckA toenter therein, said wall being adapted to engage the tops B of thespindles B moving over the high portion of the cam track M.

As the successive chuck A with the still hot or heated blanks to travelalong the high surface of cam M of the Barry machine, the tops B of therelated spindles B come into contact respectively with the lower ends ofthe walls 210 of the series of plungers 2! carried by thejackets 20,which plungers are held down by the compression springs Zlb, and 1511011contact yieldably forces the spindlesB downon theirrelated'chucks A,thereby tightly compressing to, a muchreduced diameter the portions ofthe lensblanks Sa'embraced by the jaws of the chucks, result-,

ing in headed blanks 9am (Fig; 10) In Fig. '1, the first three spindletops B from the right, which are disposed above the high portion of camM, are shown in contact. with the walls 2 lo of plungers 2| and theblanks carried in their related chucks A are, marked 9am since theseblanks would be headed as shown in Fig..10.

Similarly the first three spindle tops B from the leftin Fig. 2 whichare disposed above thehigh portion of cam M are'shown contacting thewalls 2 In of their related plungers; while the nexttwo spindle tops areshown dropped below the walls 210 since said spindles have moved onto alower portion of thecam M.. I

g r The blank grinding me ans V The headed blanks Sarcare then carriedalong their orbit in the rotating chucks A to the side to the machine,said shaft 26 having a belt pulley 21, and a belt 28 runs around pulley21 and,

around a pulley 29 mounted on the driven shaft K of the Barry machine,to constantly rotate the emery wheel 25. In event the heads of theblanks 9am are to be left flat or unfinished the grinding operation maybe readily omitted.

When the lens blank 9a is finally shaped to the form Bar or Say shown inFigs. 10 and 11, it then passes in itsorbit under a spray of cold waterfrom spray pipe 30 to chill the lens, as the lens must be chilled whileit is held in the die or chuck in order that same may retain itsheat-unstable shape. A stream of cold water from pipe 3| is also playeddirectly upon emery wheel 25 to keep said wheel free from dust, dirt,and sludge and also to initially cool the still heated lens blankscarried along with the chucks A.

From the emery wheel 25 the lens blanks Say are carried around the orbitto the pull-down track R (Fig. 1) where the grip on the blanks Bay bychucks A is released; and suction removes the finished lens blanks fromthe chucks in the same manner customary in removing buttons from theBarry Automatic machine.

My attachment might also be used for turning buttons by merely feeding arod into the tube 8, slicing a blank therefrom by knife I2, feeding itinto the chuck A, and then'passing it under a suitable tool held injacket 20 for turning the pattern on the projecting end of the blankinstead of the plunger 2! shown in the drawings.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, forobviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

said portion for automatically feeding blanks said severing meanscomprising a reciprocable carriage beside the orbit; means on thecarriage for automatically engaging and disengaging successive chucks tomove the carriage therewith through successive forward strokes; meansfor returning the carriage to normal position when disengaged from thechucks; and a knife on the carriage adapted to sever a blank from therod on each forward stroke of the carriage thereby depositing successiveblanks thereon.

3. In a combination as set forth in claim 1, said feeding meanscomprising a reciprocable carriage beside the orbit; means on thecarriage for automatically engaging and disengaging successive chucks tomove the carriage therewith through successive forward strokes; meansfor returning the carriage to normal position when disengaged from thechucks; said severing means depositing a blank on the carriage on eachfor- "aeanees 7 Ward. stroke or the carriage, and means on the carriagefor depositing a blank therefrom. into dies in one direction and saidcontracting: means comprising; acam track supporting the chucks in thespindles, said'track having an offset por-, tion for shifting thechucks-to contact the jaws; and a seriesof yieldablemembers synchronizedwith the movement ofthe chucks and engaging successive spindles inway'of't'lie ofiset portion tourge same ina direction opposed'to that im mI parted to the chucks by'the' track;

5 Ina combination as set'forth in claim 1-,-said shaping meanscomprisinga rotatable grinding wheel having a contoured periphery adapted: to

engage the heads ofthe successivebl'anksiin the chucks and means forrotatin-gsaid' chucks-.-'

6. In combination, .an endless series of blank holding chuck-s moving inan orbital path, means at one portion of said orbit for holding a rod ofplastic blank forming material; means in said holding means for heatingsaid rod; means at said portion for opening the said chucks; means atsaid portion for successively severing lengths from said rod whileheated to form blanks; means at said portion for automatically feedingblanks into the successive opened chucks, the upper ends of the blanksprojecting above said chucks; means at another portion of the orbit forcontracting the chucks around the portions of the blanks disposedtherein to compress said portions of the heated blanks to a diameterless than that of the projecting ends of the blanks; means at stillanother portion of the orbit for shaping the heads; and means forcooling the blanks in the chucks prior to-discharge of the blankstherefrom.

'7. An attachment for feeding blanks into an endless series of blankholding chucks moving in an orbital path at one portion of which thechucks are open; comprising a base mounted at said portion; areciprocable carriage mounted on said base; means on the carriagepositioned to automatically engage and disengage successive chucks tomove the carriage therewith through successive forward strokes; meansfor returning the carriage to normal position when disengaged from thechucks; means for depositing a blank on the carriage on each forwardstroke thereof; and means for depositing a blank from the carriage intothe particular chuck engaged by the carriage.

8. In an attachment as set forth in claim '7, a feeding plate on thecarriage disposed above the path of movement of the chucks; a fixedplate disposed between the tops of the chucks and the feeding plate andterminating within the stroke of the feeding plate; said feeding platehaving a hole therethrough disposed coaxially of the chuck engaged bythe carriage; means for feeding a blank into said hole during one strokeof the carriage, said blank resting on said fixed plate, whereby saidblank will drop into the underlying chuck when shifted by the feedingplate over the edge of the fixed plate on the next forward stroke of thecarriage; said feeding plate being mounted on an arm pivotally mountedon said carriage; an abutment on the carriage against which the armnormally contacts; and yieldable means urging the said arm against theabutment whereby the feeding plate may pivot during movement of thecarriage-in event of'anr unyielding obstruct-ion confinedflin-t the"hole or thezfeeding plate:

the lower: end 0;":

Act In: an attachment: as settforth int claim '7, said means fordepositing a blank on the carriage com rising holder for a rod ofplastic .materialta feeding plate carried by. the carriage andunderlying the hoider; a knife. blade carried by 'the carriage anctadapted: tovsever alength from the rod. on each forward stroke c" thecarriage; the cutting edge of 'the bladebermcd' by a; bevel ontheunderside thereof; and; a flexible plate mounted. onand spaced abovee feeding plate upon which. rests durhe .cuttin goperation; saidflexible plate-being v yieldabletowards the reeding plate an amountequal to the' hicknessco-f' the knife blade as: the rod length being cutiscrowded towards; the feeding plate to. the bevel. of the cutting edgeof blade, therebypreventing diagonalcutting of .tl1e rod;

' ra In anaiaachm'ent as set forth ihlclaim 7, said: engaging; anddisengaging means corn-prisiinger piuoted'onthe carriage and having achuck engaging outer end and a blunted inner end; a trigger pivoted onthe carriage having one leg normally en aging the blunt end of thefinger to prevent the finger from swinging out of the path of movementof the chucks; a fixed stop on the carriage normally engaging anotherleg of the trigger to maintain th first said leg in normal position; ayieldable member connecting the blunt end of the finger and the firstmentioned leg of the trigger for normally urging the finger to swinginto the path of movement of the chucks and t0 yieldably hold the secondmentioned leg in contact with the fixed stop; and a trip on the basepositioned to strike the second leg at the end of the forward stroke ofthe carriage and swing the trigger, thereby permitting the finger todisengage the chuck which it had engaged; the yie1dable member thereuponswinging the finger again into the path of the next following chuck andrestoring the trigger to normal position.

11. An attachment for feeding blanks into an endless series of blankholding chucks moving in an orbital path at one portion of which thechucks are open; comprising a base mounted at said portion; areciprocable carriage mounted on said base; means 'on the carriagepositioned to automatically engage and disengage successive chucks tomove the carriage therewith through successive forward strokes; meansfor returning the carriage to normal position when disengaged from thechucks; a holder for a rod of blank forming material disposed above thepath of movement of th chucks and having an open lower end and ahorizontal slot above said open end; a fixed plate above the chucksdisposed below th holder; a knife on the carriage positioned to enterthe slot on each forward stroke and sever a blank from the rod; a'feeder plate on the carriage disposed between the fixed plate and lowerend of the holder; said fixed plate terminating within the stroke of thefeeding plate; said feeding plate having a hole therethrough disposedcoaxially of the chuck engaged by the carriage; whereby the cut blankconfined'in the lower end of the holder will initially rest upon thefeeding plate until the hole in the feeding plate registers therewith,the said blank then dropping into the hole and resting upon the fixedplate, and said blank subsequently dropping into the underlying chuckwhen shifted by the feeding plate over the edge of the fixed plate onthe next forward stroke of the carriage.

12. In an attachment as set forth in claim 11, said tube and sa dholeiin the feeding plate being in vertical alignment at thevmoment thecarriage 1 is returned to normal position, whereby a previously cutblank in the hole will support the rod in the holder until the carriagestarts its next forward stroke.

'13. In an attachment as set forth in claim 11, a post mounted on saidcarriage; means for adjusting said post in the direction of movement ofthe chucks; an arm carrying said knif blade mounted on said post; meansfor vertically adjusting said arm; a second arm mounted on said post andcarrying said feeding plate; means for vertically adjusting said secondarm; and means on the base for adjusting said series of chucks laterallyof the base in way of the carriage.

14.,An attachment for heading blanks projecting above the tops of anendless series of blank holding chucks slidably mounted in spindlesmoving in an orbital path, said chucks having split jaws receivingthe'lower portions of the blanks, and said jaws being contracted whenthe chucks are shifted in their spindles in one direc- 1 tion, and saidchucks sliding on a cam track having an offset portion for shifting thesaid chucks;

' said attachment comprisingta member mounted l5. In an attachment asset forth in claim 14,

I said member comprising a base mounted above respective chucks.

said series; an endless series of jackets carried by said base andoverlying the respective chucks passing thereunder; means for verticallyyieldably mounting said plungers in said jackets respectively; andprojections on the lower ends of said plungers engagingthe upperends ofthe spindles of the chucks sliding upon said, ofi'set portionto'yieldably; depress the spindles on their WILLIAM HENRY UMLANDT;

